Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for October 21, 2022

What a shame… 8^ (

If this were a real world situation (and it is now a part of modern life), I would recommend that the dishes be put back in storage for the time being. People change over time and perhaps the “kids” will be interested later.

Proud of Janis for trying her best to find the dishes a new home, and sharing their story.

Especially good that she didn’t guilt-trip Gene that because he didn’t want them he was somehow not valuing her or their family’s history.

That is what I am thinking of doing. I have my mom’s old Singer sewing machine. She’d had it for as long as I can remember. She made most of our clothes on it, hers too. My sisters and I learned how to sew on it. We used to make blankets, curtains and tablecloths for our dollhouses on it. I took a furniture refinishing class and I refinished the cabinet, her cedar chest also. I will probably never use it. I couldn’t bear to send it to the Goodwill when we cleaned her house out. I’ve had it now for 4 years. When I donate it I would like to tell its story of all the robes, blouses, dresses, pants, shorts and Halloween costumes that were made on it. Heck, I may just keep it.

Should of left them on the porch, better chance the porch pirates would have taken them

Cute?

Well, at least the landfill will have something to read.

I would have saved them incase my grandchildren would like them. You never know. Plus, the older the china gets the more priceless they will be.

I was honestly shocked to see so many stories from people who still actually have some good feeling for anything of the past. It both broke my heart to realize how little I regard I have for these later generations and yet restored some faith that there really are still people in the world that can look past the edges of their phone to something greater. Thank you to those of you who shared. I needed to know you’re out there.

Should have left it on the porch for a pirate.

Goodwill is always a good idea. Some family without the means to buy something new would surely appreciate them.

We’re having an estate sale next summer. The people in charge of the sale recommend that the family NOT be there during the sale. We would tend to tell people stories about each item, and then people would not want to buy things away from us.

This one makes me sad. Tell the story and put it back in the attic where you son (or granddaughter) will find it one day. Family history becomes more important as we age.

The kids don’t want the china, and that’s ok. The most valuable thing is the story Janis wrote. I’d hope that she would give that to the kids.

I’m 63, my wife has been recommending I do this with my comic books collection, for years…..

Kids don’t want something that can’t be put in the dishwasher or microwave. And since mom didn’t make memories while using them, why would you expect her kids to? It’s stuff, don’t hoard it just because. Good job Janice, throw it out so your kids don’t need to when you are dead.

One year I put out Christmas decorations and some craft stuff I no longer used. I got a note in my mailbox thanking me for them!

I lived in Chattanooga for about 4 years. Graduated college there in 78. Also, Samuel L. Jackson is from Chattanooga. Just saying.

The Volunteer State. I love Tennessee and its people.

I use old china on a daily basis. As far as sewing machines go. I’m trashing my new one and have got a Kenmore from the 50’s. The old workhorse will run circles around these new ones.

Why doesn’t she just start using the china? Work it into everyday use. Better to be broken with love and use than out in landfill. Saving it for some super special occassion has landed it on the sidwalk with a note. What a waste.

The only thing I was left in my parents’ wills was their “good” seldom-used silver-plate silverware. It needs to be polished after every use; I have no time for that. My nephew and his wife wanted it, so it went to them.

My husband and I had no children. When he died I gave his clothes to the high school drama class, most of his personal things to relatives, and kept a small box of “him” for myself. Now I occasionally go through it. His wallet with everything still in it, his favorite fishing hat, etc. I also have Grandma’s powder box, which has smelled like her for 50 years. Little things, people, little things.

If this was in the here and now she would just go on a Facebook “Buy and Sell” or “Swap and Trade” and be done with it

Sadly, this is so true. I have several boxes of really nice dishes and this may be the only way they will leave. I took one set to auction and they almost didn’t leave then. They have since began warning people that they should not expect a large sale price.

Nit-picky, but the mailbox should be along side the road not the sidewalk.

Will this story line continue?

Still dumping trash no matter what you call it…..

I have a relatively small home so space is at a premium. Even so, I keep a lot of items that have no use to me aside from sentimental value. Fortunately, they are all rather small.

We had a really nice china cabinet, 35 years ago it cost us almost $10K. Tried to sell it for months. No one ever showed the slightest interest, we finally gave it to goodwill. All the really good really old translucent porcelain cups, saucers, and plates that we had displayed in the top, along with all the sterling Silver silverware we had stored in the bottom also wound up going to Goodwill because none of our kids or grandkids were interested. I think most of our furniture will end up going to the same place. My wristwatches(none working as I stopped wearing a watch the day I retired) and my wife’s jewelry(rings, necklaces, earrings, which she hasn’t worn for so long that she no longer remembers where she put them) will most likely go to a pawn shop

@amethyst Don’t donate your Singer sewing machine, it may be worth a lot of money! Older Singer machines can be worth thousands!

Why didn’t you just use the dishes for your everyday eating???

What a sad commentary on our society, or lack thereof.

History means nothing to today’s generation(s).

Jimmy is brilliant. Box one, the memory, box two the memory is attached to the items, box three a heavy load to carry for so long, box for it hurts to let go, but let go we must.

I have my grandmothers cast iron skillet. She was born in 1900, married in 1925. They were dirt poor, probably never had anything brand new so I’m thinking it was a hand-me-down. It’s in rough shape, but I can’t bring myself to strip 60-odd years of seasoning off of it and restore it to usable condition.

Those things you “just can’t bear to part with” will be the problems of your children, heirs, or whoever goes through your things when You die.

Very sad.

This is a repeat series and I find that concerning. What is going on? Gene no longer has the restaurant, remember. We’ve seen this before, tender as it is.

Strangers are not going to care about her grandmother from over a century ago. Why would they?

Better than leaving Grandma in a rocker on top of the Station Wagon!!!!

freecycle.org is what I assumed those boxes were out on the curb for. There’s always someone who wants something, like newly-launched kids moving into their first apartment who have nothing would love to have those dishes.

At this point all I can say is it is a good thing that Janis did not take an old sewing machine out to the curb.

The world had moved on from such things as formal dining sets. Good riddence.

:’(

love

OCD people that hate clutter so much as to do that need therapy.

Sad, but that’s the way it is these days. Not just old stuff, either. I’ve picked up lots of stuff from curbs that aren’t that old and have little or nothing wrong with them, maybe just need a good cleaning! I picked up a slot machine that was working, guy said he just didn’t have room any more. And Goodwill and the Salvation Army are full of stuff — we’ve just been so materialistic for so long, and trained to want the newest stuff, we’ve lost touch with common sense and thrift, and we’re swamped with STUFF.

This makes me very sad. :-(